Sansad TV: Future of Green Energy in India | Gist of Rajya Sabha TV / RSTV (now Sansad TV) - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

Clean energy refers to energy derived from renewable and zero-emission sources that do not cause pollution when used. It includes energy saved through energy efficiency measures. In simple terms, clean energy can be obtained from renewable and zero-emission sources such as "renewables" and energy-saving methods like "EE." Green energy, on the other hand, refers to energy obtained from natural sources. While there is some overlap between clean and green energy, they are not exactly the same. The ideal combination of clean energy is where green and renewable energy intersect, for example, through solar and wind power. Clean energy sources include sunlight, wind power, hydro or water power, geothermal power, and biomass.

Increasing Accessibility to Clean Energy:

• To make clean fuel more accessible in rural areas, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana can be complemented by the establishment of biomass pelletising units and distribution of efficient biomass chullahs. 
• On the agricultural front, there should be an increase in solar irrigation pump distribution targets, financed through credit support from NABARD and government subsidies. Additionally, there is a need to explore and research potential non-conventional energy sources, such as geothermal and tidal energy, to make them technologically and economically accessible.

Prospects for India

• NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) have jointly published a report titled "Towards a Clean Energy Economy: Post-Covid-19 Opportunities for India's Energy and Mobility Sectors." According to the report, India's transport sector could reduce cumulative carbon dioxide emissions by 1.7 gigatonnes and avoid approximately 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent in fuel demand by 2030. 
• Additionally, having a diversified clean energy supply will decrease India's dependence on imported fuels and lower the associated financial and environmental costs. Renewable clean energy provides inherent cost savings, as there is no need to extract and transport fuels such as coal or oil, as the resources replenish naturally. 
• As the world begins to move away from fossil fuels, renewable and clean energy are growth sectors, offering numerous opportunities ranging from eMobility to power generation and storage. Developing expertise in these next-generation power solutions can benefit those who acquire it, providing work and contracts for those who are slow to adopt clean energy.

Challenges

• Availability of Power: One of the most significant challenges in the renewable energy field is power generation relying on natural resources that are uncontrollable by humans.
• Power Quality Issues: Consistent high power quality is required to maintain network stability and efficiency. However, it can lead to high costs and equipment failure. Power quality problems can include frequency disorder, voltage/current harmonics, low power factor, voltage variation, and transmission line transits.
• Resource Location: Most renewable energy plants that feed energy into the grid require large areas of space, and the location of renewable energy sources is often restricted.
• Information Barrier: While the situation is improving, there is still a lack of information and awareness about the benefits and necessity of renewable energy. Investment and capital allowances are available for the implementation of renewable energies.
• Cost Issue: The high initial installation costs are one of the significant challenges in renewable energy development.